Whole-home duct cleaning
Dryer vent cleaning
Camera inspection
Sanitizing & deodorizingWhole-system duct and dryer vent check with before-and-after photos - you see exactly what came out of your vents
That "$99 whole-house special" is a bait ad - the real number appears once they are in your hallway, or the "clean" is a shop-vac at the register. We photograph the inside of your ducts before and after instead.
Trusted Air Duct Cleaning for San Francisco Homeowners
Air duct cleaning in San Francisco typically costs between $450 and $1,100 for a whole-home system, depending on square footage, the number of returns, and how much debris has settled in your runs. Most jobs finish in four to seven hours, and the work usually pays for itself the first year through lower system strain and fewer filter replacements. Linden Air Duct San Francisco has served homeowners here since 2004 under the Threshold Standard: background-checked technicians, written pricing before work begins, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise on every single job. If you want to know exactly who’s coming to your door and exactly what it will cost, call (951) 527-6259.
Air Duct Cleaning Services
Air Duct Cleaning Services cover the full removal of built-up dust, pet dander, pollen, and construction debris from the supply and return sides of your forced-air system. You’ll know it’s time when rooms get dusty within days of a cleaning, registers show grey film, or anyone in the house wakes up stuffy when the heat kicks on. We run negative-pressure extraction with Rotobrush and Nikro equipment hooked directly to your duct runs, and every San Francisco job includes a written price before any work begins. Expect $450 to $1,100 for a single-family home, with larger or older systems on the upper end.
Whole-System Debris Removal
We attach a HEPA-filtered vacuum to your trunk line and agitate each run individually, pulling years of accumulation out rather than pushing it through your registers. This is the full system cleaning: supply ducts, return ducts, plenums, and the air handler cabinet if it’s accessible.
Filter Media and Airflow Restoration
After extraction, we verify airflow at each register and check your filter housing for bypass. A clean system without a properly seated filter just re-contaminates itself, so this step is built into every visit, not sold as an add-on.
We also handle Air Duct Cleaning in Oakland with the same written-pricing commitment.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Styles & brands we work with
HVAC Duct Cleaning
HVAC Duct Cleaning is the same core service applied with a focus on the full heating, ventilation, and air conditioning path: blower cabinet, evaporator coil face, supply plenum, and all branch runs. San Francisco’s fog means systems run in damp air almost year-round, and that moisture turns trapped dust into a paste that sticks to the coil and reduces efficiency. We clean the entire HVAC path, not just the visible registers, using professional Rotobrush agitation and Nikro HEPA extraction. Typical whole-home HVAC duct cleaning runs $450 to $1,100, with coil cleaning quoted separately based on access.
Coil and Blower Cabinet
Debris that makes it past your filter collects on the evaporator coil first. A coated coil runs longer cycles and drives up your bill. We inspect the coil during every HVAC duct cleaning visit and report honestly on whether it needs attention.
Return Side Restoration
San Francisco homes with floor returns pull in everything that settles on the hallway floor: pet hair, tracked-in debris from hillside streets, and fine sand from wet-weather runoff. We give return ducts the same attention as supply runs, because restricted return air is what makes the whole system overheat and short-cycle.
Vent Cleaning
Vent Cleaning targets the visible termination points of your system: supply registers, return grilles, and the boots behind them. This is the fastest service we offer and the one most people try to do themselves with a vacuum, which works about as well as you’d expect on any vent more than two feet from the opening. We remove each register, clean the boot and first several feet of the run with brush agitation and negative-pressure capture, and reset the vent flush. A whole-home vent cleaning in San Francisco typically lands between $150 and $350 when done as a standalone service.
Register and Boot Cleaning
Registers and boots catch the heaviest buildup because they sit at the end of the line where velocity drops. We remove, clean, and reinstall each one rather than wiping faces in place, which leaves the boot full of debris waiting to blow back out.
Damp Climate Mold Check
San Francisco’s moisture means vent boots in exterior walls sometimes hold condensation. We look for visible mold or moisture staining during every vent cleaning and tell you directly if we see something that needs more than mechanical removal.
Ductwork Cleaning
Ductwork Cleaning is the deepest-level service for homes that have never had their ducts touched, or that show evidence of a prior issue: past rodent activity, water intrusion, or a renovation that piled drywall dust into every run. We run a full negative-pressure seal on the system and work each branch with rotating brushes sized to the duct. For an older San Francisco home with insulated metal ducts and multiple returns, ductwork cleaning usually runs $550 to $1,100 depending on run count and accessibility.
Insulated Duct Considerations
Many San Francisco homes built before 1990 have internally insulated ducts. That fiberglass liner holds dust differently than bare sheet metal, and it requires lower-agitation cleaning to avoid damaging the liner. We inspect before we agitate, and we’ll tell you if your ducts are internally lined before we start.
Renovation Dust Removal
Kitchen remodels and foundation work in neighborhoods like the Richmond and Sunset fill ducts with fine particulate that normal filter changes never address. If you’ve renovated in the last year and your system hasn’t been cleaned since, this is the service to start with. We also serve Air Duct Cleaning in Hayward for homeowners east of the bay.
Air Duct Inspection
Air Duct Inspection covers what we find inside your system without a full cleaning: visible debris, moisture, mold, pest activity, disconnected runs, and airflow measurements at each register. A standalone inspection in San Francisco starts at $129 for an access-limited visual check and up to $250 when we scope inaccessible runs with a camera. Some homeowners want an honest answer before spending on a cleaning; we’ll always tell you if your ducts don’t need work yet.
Camera Scope of Inaccessible Runs
Ducts buried in crawlspaces or sealed behind walls can’t be checked by eye. We run a camera scope through those sections and show you exactly what’s in there, including before-and-after footage when a cleaning follows.
Airflow Differential Testing
We measure airflow at each register while the system runs and compare it against expected output for the trunk distance. A weak register at the end of a run usually means blockage, a disconnected section, or an undersized transition somewhere in the middle.
Residential Air Duct Cleaning
Residential Duct Cleaning is sized for single-family homes, condos, and multi-unit buildings with independent systems: typically 8 to 20 runs, one or two returns, and a standard split-system air handler. San Francisco homes range from 1920s Marina flats with short metal runs to larger Sunset and Parkside houses with long branch layouts, and pricing follows run count and access difficulty. Most residential jobs in the city fall between $450 and $900, with a written price confirmed before we touch a single register. Marcus Veale leads our San Francisco team, and he built this operation on the idea that homeowners deserve to know the full price before the van pulls up.
Condo and Apartment Systems
Condo systems are typically shorter and simpler, but they often live in closets with tight access. We work around HOA access hours and provide the documentation most San Francisco building managers want before a vendor enters.
Pet Hair and Allergen Buildup
Homes with dogs or cats load ducts with dander and hair that recirculates through the whole house. We’ve pulled enough fur out of return runs in the Castro and Noe Valley to know this is the single most common residential complaint, and it’s the easiest one to fix permanently.
Commercial Air Duct Cleaning
Commercial Duct Cleaning applies the same negative-pressure extraction method to office buildings, dental and medical suites, restaurants, and retail spaces, with after-hours scheduling built in. Pricing is quoted per system and per square foot of conditioned space, with small commercial jobs in San Francisco generally starting around $1,200 and scaling up from there. We document the full process with before-and-after photos, which matters when a tenant, insurer, or health inspection requires proof the work was actually done.
Kitchen Exhaust and Makeup Air
Restaurant kitchen exhaust is a separate system from HVAC and has its own cleaning requirements. We can coordinate that scope with our commercial partners and make sure your makeup-air duct runs get the same treatment as the main system.
Tenant Turnover Cleanings
Vacant suites sitting with systems off for months collect more than occupied spaces. We recommend a full cleaning at turnover for any South of Market or FiDi space changing tenants, so the new occupant inherits clean air and you inherit a documented record of the work.
Brands We Service
We work with Honeywell filtration and air-quality products on a regular basis, including media cabinets and electronic air cleaners that need periodic inspection to confirm they’re actually doing their job. A Honeywell media cabinet on a clean system makes a measurable difference in filter life and indoor dust load.
For whole-home air-quality upgrades, we install and service Aprilaire dehumidifiers and ventilation controls, and we carry Abatement Technologies HEPA units for homes with active mold sensitivity or construction-phase air quality concerns. Whether you have Honeywell, Aprilaire, Abatement Technologies, or any other make in your San Francisco home, we can service it correctly during your duct cleaning visit.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterSigns You Need a Pro Right Now
- Dust films return within days of wiping surfaces. If you dust the living room on Sunday and it’s grey by Wednesday, the system is pushing accumulated dust back into the air. A functioning system with a clean filter and clean ducts does not recoat surfaces that fast.
- Registers show dark streaks or smudging around the edges. That pattern marks where airborne particulate is escaping past the register seal. It means the boot and first few feet of duct are loaded, and it’s visible from across the room.
- Anyone in the house has sinus pressure, coughing, or itchy eyes only when the system runs. That timing matters. Symptoms that track with the furnace or AC cycling usually point to what’s coming out of the vents, not seasonal allergies alone.
- One or more rooms never seem to get warm or cool enough. A weak register usually means obstruction or a disconnected run somewhere in between. The system works harder to compensate, which shortens its life and raises your bill.
- You hear a rattle or papery sound from the vents when the blower runs. Debris caught in a boot or run makes noise when airflow moves it. If it’s loud enough to hear, there’s enough material in there for us to remove.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Written price before anything starts. We inspect your system, count the runs, check access points, and give you a fixed written price for the full job before we bring equipment in. That number does not change unless we agree in writing to additional scope.
- 2
System and technician introduction at the door. Your technician arrives in a marked, clean uniform, shows a photo ID badge, and introduces themselves by name. You received that name and a photo before the visit, so there’s no surprise about who walks in.
- 3
Negative-pressure setup and agitation. We seal the system and connect a HEPA-filtered vacuum to create continuous negative pressure, then run rotating brushes through each branch to release adhered debris. This is the same method you’d find in hospital-grade cleaning protocols, scaled for homes.
- 4
Airflow verification and filter check. After extraction, we take airflow measurements at each register while the system runs. This tells us the runs are clear and also flags any pre-existing duct design or blower issues you should know about.
- 5
Written summary, photos, and the Done Right Promise. You get before-and-after photo documentation of the ducts themselves, a summary of what was removed, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the work isn’t right, we come back and make it right, at no charge.
How Much Does Air Duct Cleaning Cost in San Francisco?
A standard single-family home with 10 to 14 runs and two returns in San Francisco typically costs $450 to $900. Larger homes with 16 to 20 runs, older homes with internally insulated ducts, and properties with difficult access (crawlspace-only, basement mechanical rooms) run $900 to $1,100. Condos and smaller single-system units often land at $350 to $550 depending on run count. When you call, we’ll ask about square footage, number of vents, and access so we can give you a real range on the phone before scheduling anything.
What affects the price: number of supply runs, number of returns, accessibility of the air handler, whether ducts are flex or metal, and how long since the last cleaning. What should concern you: quotes far below $300 for a whole-home job usually mean a bait-and-switch coupon, a per-vent pricing model that balloons once the tech arrives, or a surface-only “cleaning” that skips the trunk line entirely. Our price is one flat number per system, agreed in writing before work begins. The estimate is free, and it always includes exactly what’s covered.
We also serve homeowners across the bay; if you’re browsing from the East Bay, see our Air Duct Cleaning in San Francisco page or the home page for nearby coverage areas. For exact pricing on your system, call (951) 527-6259.
Our Service Area Near San Francisco
We work throughout San Francisco proper: the Sunset, the Richmond, Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, the Mission, Potrero Hill, Pacific Heights, the Marina, and everywhere in between. We also handle calls in Oakland, Hayward, Redwood City, Berkeley, San Mateo, Richmond, Walnut Creek, Piedmont, Novato, and Danville. Typical scheduling runs three to seven days out for standard cleanings, and we’ll give you a firm arrival window the day before your visit. For a quick reference on our full footprint, start at our Air Duct Cleaning in San Francisco page.
Serving San Francisco, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Francisco area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Duct Cleaning in San Francisco
Air duct cleaning is the mechanical removal of dust, pet dander, pollen, mold spores, and debris from the supply and return ducts, registers, boots, plenums, and air handler of a forced-air HVAC system. We use negative-pressure extraction with HEPA filtration, which captures debris rather than stirring it up and blowing it back into the home. San Francisco’s damp climate makes this more urgent than in drier cities because moisture helps trapped dust bind to duct surfaces and coil fins. For a quote on your system, call (951) 527-6259.
A standard single-family home takes four to seven hours, depending on run count, access, and how much buildup has accumulated in the system. Condos and smaller units can finish in two to four hours. We schedule a half-day for most residential jobs so the work is never rushed, and the written price covers that full window.
Most homes in San Francisco fall between $450 and $1,100 for a complete cleaning, with condos and smaller systems sometimes as low as $350. Commercial spaces are quoted per system and typically start at $1,200. The honest answer is that until we see your system, any number is an estimate, not a quote – which is why we give a free written estimate before any work begins. Call (951) 527-6259 and we’ll get you a real number.
We service and clean around Honeywell media cabinets, electronic air cleaners, and Aprilaire dehumidifiers and ventilation controls as part of a standard duct cleaning when those components are present. We also work with Abatement Technologies HEPA equipment. If you have a different brand, that’s fine too – the ductwork method is the same.
We don’t operate on an emergency basis for duct cleaning, but we answer the phone 24/7 with a live person and can usually schedule within the same week for most San Francisco addresses. If something is actively wrong with your system, like water in the ducts or visible mold, tell us when you call and we’ll prioritize the inspection. The number is (951) 527-6259.
Our written guarantee covers the work we performed: if the cleaning wasn’t done right, we come back and redo it at no charge at any point in the 365 days after your service. If we performed a repair and it doesn’t hold, we return for a free second visit under the same promise. Every job includes this in writing, not as a verbal reassurance. For specifics on your situation, call (951) 527-6259.
Clear the area around your air handler and make room around any registers we’ll be working on, especially floor returns. Move anything fragile off surfaces directly under ceiling vents. We bring drop cloths and shoe covers, and our equipment stays on protective mats the entire time it’s inside your home, so no need to do anything beyond basic access prep.
Schedule Your Air Duct Cleaning Service in San Francisco Today
One call gets you a real price range for your system, a time window that works, and a technician whose name and photo you’ll know before the van arrives. Every job includes the written price, the written Done Right Promise, and a live person on the phone any hour of any day. Call (951) 527-6259 now for your free estimate, and see the inside of your ducts before you decide anything.
Written by Marcus Veale, Owner at Linden Air Duct San Francisco, serving San Francisco since 2004.